Mesmerized
by Candiordo
Summary: AU: The adoptive brother falls in love with the adopted sister. Rated M for future chapters.
1. Intro: Rukia

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

This is my first fic. Please be nice!

* * *

><p>Rukia gripped the frame in her trembling hands. She looked at the photo of her family...her mother…her father…the people who adopted her as their daughter. It was a photo taken on her 9th birthday, more than a year after she was adopted, when her parents decided to take her to an amusement park.<p>

A sad smile graced her lips. She remembered it too well. It was the first birthday she had that she truly enjoyed. Rukia heaved a sigh as her fingertips traced the faces of the people whom she loved the most. Her vision blurred as she saw the smiles that were present on their faces. She will not be seeing those again.

"Okaasan… Otousan…" She mumbled.

Tears fell from her lilac eyes, and rolled on to the glass surface of the frame. She wiped away the drops hastily with palm of her right hand and clutched the photo to her chest. Streams of silver continued to slither down her cheeks , as she cried away the pain that was breaking her heart.

Rukia moved toward the king-sized bed and crawled into the cold blankets which were once her parents'. She placed the picture frame on the bedside table and settled in to the coldest warmth the sheets could ever offer.

Everything that happened that day rushed into her mind, yet all she could vividly remember was the time when she looked back to her parents' graves. She did not cry during the ceremony yet at the end, at that moment when she glanced at her loved ones' resting place, she realized that she was holding back her tears. Sobs erupted from her throat, and tears fell down like rain from her closed eyes. She felt her body shaking as the gravity of that moment hit her.

She was all alone.

Rukia stared at the lamp on the bedside table, her eyes descending to the other two frames that were behind the one she added. One picture was of her, and the other was of her estranged Nii-sama, Byakuya.

Her lips moved into a slight frown.

Her Nii-sama left for the United States a year before she was adopted. After he left; however, he cut all contact from their parents. All they knew was that he was doing well. They heard from him only through the report cards that the university sent. It was a hard time for her parents, and she knew. Her mother would try to contact him, and yet her Nii-sama refused to even answer the phone. She could remember her mother holding the picture Nii-sama in her arms as she slept at those times. Yet, her parents let him be. For some reason, okaasan and otousan understood his reasons, and she was the only one who didn't know.

And after a few years of giving their parents the cold shoulder, he sent a letter.

From what she remembered, its contents made her mother cry. It was 5 years after she was adopted. She never recalled being so tightly embraced in her whole life. 'Rukia, honey, your Nii-sama loves you, okay?' her mother told her. At that time; however, she could not care less of what her older brother thinks of her, just so as long as her okaasan and her otousan were there.

Rukia could not forget that letter. Her Nii-sama apologized for his 'disappointing' behavior as a son, for the reason of his 'evasion from contact' was due to the adoption of her, an orphan, into the Kuchiki family. He stated that, at first, he could not fathom the reasons for his parents' decision, and yet as the years passed, he finally understood that matters such as those were for his parents' to decide. He recognizes his parents' desire to have a daughter, and that he realizes that this was best for the welfare of his mother and his father; and upon his acceptance of such decision, was his acceptance of Rukia as his sister.

Rukia scoffed as she remembered his exact words. She remembered that she wasn't even sad at her Nii-sama's_ initial _reaction to her adoption.

Though the letter did state that, she and her brother never talked to each other. Her mother or her father usually get letters from him, but never addressed to her. She doesn't even know what he looked like now. The picture that her Nii-sama has in their parents' room was taken when he was still 17 years old, a year before he left. It's been 10 years. Her Nii-sama never sent a picture, of course. He didn't seem like the type to take pictures of himself.

She wasn't even sure if _he_ knew what _she_ looked like. She never saw her parents send a picture of her to her Nii-sama, just plain letters. By now, she guessed, he would look even more handsome than he did in the picture she has. She just wondered from time to time, though, of what he was like, of the possibility that she and Nii-sama could ever be really siblings.

Her heavy heart skipped at the thought, because in 3 days, she'll know.

* * *

><p>Please review! :)<p> 


	2. Intro: Byakuya

Disclaimer: I don't own anything!

Chapter 2 of Mesmerized

* * *

><p>Gray eyes stared into space. Byakuya moved his arms resting on the table to the soft armrest of his black leather chair. He leaned back and shut his tired eyes. It's been 2 days since he was able to acquire the knowledge of his parents' demise—2 days since he was able to sleep properly. The grief that he felt did not show on his face, yet his heart was ridden with guilt and gloom. The peace of his penthouse office seemed inadequate, and it did not help to alleviate the chaos of emotions running inside him.<p>

The office that he held for the last 5 years had been one of the places he frequented. Being the CEO, he was a busy man. His departure from Japan to the United States 10 years ago came after his father's decision to retire. He was told that he was to receive the best education to take over the Kuchiki Corporation. Yet, after he graduated, he was bold enough to expand the family's company into the United States and became the CEO. His grandfather, Ginrei, had taken over the Japan branch. In the next 5 years, he directed and managed the company and became one of the top companies in the world, side by side with his grandfather's.

He remembered the late nights he spent in the office, the countless hours of paperwork being stacked upon him. Every day for the first 3 years of the USA branch of the Kuchiki Corporation, Byakuya had no time to spare. In the last 2 years; however, he had learned to handle the amount of work.

Byakuya sat up and rested his elbows on the table, his fingers massaging his temple. The sight of papers in front of him worsened the ache that was forming in his head.

_Knock! Knock! Knock!_

"Enter." Byakuya said, his fingers releasing his temple.

A flash of red stepped into his office. "Abarai." Byakuya acknowledged with a small nod.

The tall, tattooed man paced toward his boss. "Kuchiki-san, these are the last of the papers you need to sign along with those piled on your table." Renji pointed to the stack between them. Byakuya didn't respond. "Boss? Are you okay?" Renji's eyes suddenly shifted to the tired gray ones.

"Boss, you look terrible!" The redhead's eyes widened.

Byakuya merely looked at the new set of papers before lifting his eyes to meet with his assistant's. "Abarai, you may leave." He said with a wave of dismissal.

He waited for the sound of the door closing before his back relaxed on his chair once more. His eyes rested on the expanse of his table, yet avoiding the work laid out in front of him. It fell upon an object glinting in the sun. It was on the far right side of his table, out of his reach, yet not out of sight.

It was the latest and _only _photo of his family in his possession—a picture of his okaasan, his otousan, and Rukia.

'Rukia.'

His sister. His _adopted_ sister.

5 years ago, it would have stirred contempt within him, but now, he learned to be apathetic._ Adopted_. The concept went into his mind once more. It was a concept still sour with the other Kuchiki relatives. _Adopted_. The act of adoption was frowned upon all the Kuchikis except Ginrei. _Adopted_. The general idea would be taking someone else's child and consider as _his own._

_Rukia_. Not Kuchiki by blood, but by name. A sibling on _paper_.

Byakuya stood up, reaching for the frame and extending his arm. His long fingers clasped the wooden object and held it up in front of him. It was a photo taken 10 years ago, the year after he left, when Rukia was welcomed into the household.

She was in his father's arms. His parents were looking at her while Rukia was smiling. She was a small child in the picture, her face round and her hair cut in a short bob that ends on her chin. Unfortunately, the picture that Byakuya held was in a poor state. Though he could make out the scene, their faces and the color was fading due to sun exposure.

He set the photo next to his paperwork and began to sort out the papers in front of him with one thought lingering in his mind.

_Rukia. My little sister. _

A concept he found somewhat…unnerving.

As of 2 days ago, he became the official guardian of Rukia.

And in 3 days, he will meet her for the first time in 10 years.

* * *

><p>Please review! :)<p> 


	3. Dreams and Friends

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

Hey people! Thank you, thank you so much for your reviews! I'm jumping for joy every time I read them. Anyway, I've been trying to upload this chapter for the past 2 days now; however, I just experienced my first taste of 's glitches, hence, my delayed update.

BTW, I've made this chapter longer. Thanks again and I hope you like this chapter as well! :)

* * *

><p><em>She noticed the cool wind prickling the skin of her bare arms; the dark clouds clumping together to form an ambience of sorrow; and the surroundings that were devoid of any warmth or rather, of <strong>anyone<strong>. She stood alone—a petite woman clad in a simple black dress in a sea of mass cards and of flowers. But these were not from her. These were from the Kuchikis—her relatives—who, though have heard of her parents' burial today, have decided not to come and see the former family head and his wife. And she knew their reason for not bothering to come._

_It was because of her._

_Rukia lowered her head and bit her lip. Her parents didn't deserve this. They deserve to see people who care about them. They deserve a family whose belief in them did not falter. They deserve a family whose love for them did not cease upon their deaths. Yet here she was, giving only an ounce of what they deserved._

_She stepped forward and brought out a piece of paper from her pocket. She unfolded it and, albeit trembling, began to speak._

_"When I was 4 years old, I've realized that I was not meant to be born. The woman from the orphanage told me that I was abandoned at their doorstep; that I was in a small box, wrapped in a thin, white cloth. When she took me from that same box, a note fell out, and written in it were the words 'I don't want to keep my Rukia. I'm sorry.'_

_I can't recall how I've reacted to that story, but I remember the burning sensation in my heart that lingered every day since then. I didn't create that much friends nor did I want to be any closer to the grown-ups in the orphanage. I distanced myself from everyone because I knew that without anyone to be friends with, I wouldn't have to be abandoned yet again. And being in an orphanage is a proof of that fact. I didn't need anyone who can make me feel bad. So, I clung on to one thing: independence._

_When I was 6 years old, the kids that were around me were being adopted. Even the women in the orphanage were replaced by others. Though it was my decision to isolate myself, I felt a bit more alone every time a kid I knew is being taken away by a couple. And that scared me. But still, I kept my distance from everyone because the feeling of being abandoned is far worse than being alone. So, I clung on to another thing: courage._

_When I was 8 years old, all the kids were excited because a couple with a nice black car arrived. They said they were rich people because they had a jumping cat in front of their car. I had a scowl on my face at that time and I did the one thing I've always been doing: I stayed in the church to hide from them. I've always known that the couples that come to the orphanage don't go in the church first. They usually do so when they've chosen a kid to come with them._

_I ran to the front and sat on the bench that was nearest to the priest's table and the big crucifix. And as always, I lay myself on the wooden surface to take a nap. When I woke up; however, a hand was stroking my hair. And I lifted my head to see the most beautiful people I've ever seen: okaasan and otousan._

_Okaasan, you told me that I had pretty eyes. Then you asked me what's my name and what am I doing there. Otousan, you asked me how old I was and asked me if I was okay. I was so overwhelmed seeing beautiful people so concerned about me that I just smiled. And to my surprise, though I didn't answer any of your questions, okaasan and otousan smiled back._

_When you took me back to your big mansion, with my hand in okaasan's, a smile was on my lips because I thought of the one thing that I've avoided for my whole stay in the orphanage: I was going to be a part of a **family**. I remember that the house had balloons everywhere and there was this big cake for me. Pictures were being taken, and I recall that otousan carried me in his arms. I was so happy that day that I cried. And everyone laughed._

_I was so delighted in the mansion because I made okaasan and otousan so happy. Both of you played with me, and you always took me out to have fun, despite being busy because of work. Every day, otousan asks me about my day at school, and okaasan always fixes my hair; and sometimes both of you help me with my homework. At night, I sleep between the two of you in your bed. And when I wake up, you greet me with a smile. For me, these were the best memories—memories with okaasan and otousan. And I thought that it will always be that way—perfect._

_But, as my stay became longer, the people that I met from the 'family' aside from okaasan and otousan became scarier and scarier. First, I met ojiisan. He looked so serious that I didn't want to go near him. I always hid behind okaasan or otousan and pretended he didn't exist; but I think he pretended that I didn't exist either. But as his visits became more frequent, the less he pretended I didn't exist. At first, he acknowledged me, then he just started to greet me and I would do the same. From then on, our relationship progressed and he would ask me about school, then my hobbies. He even took me out. He took me to a golf course once and then he made me promise not to tell you, okaasan and otousan, that he gave me ice cream. I realized that he wasn't so bad. He's just like Santa, really. But with straight hair and a lean body._

_Then I met obasan, Megumi. The way she looked at me made me cry, but then, so did everyone I met in the 'family'— aside from ojiisan—looked at me at the same way. Every time I meet them, I would cry. Not even my cousins want to go near me because they say that their parents told them that I was 'garbage', a 'stray', a 'brat'. Okaasan, otousan, and ojiisan were the only ones there to protect me from them and stop me from crying. The 3 of you showed me how to face them, and how to deal with them in my own way. You taught me how to be strong on my own._

_So, at that point, I clung on to the one thing that held me together in this family: love._

_However, when Nii-sama sent that letter, I saw ojiisan less and less. He became busy in the office. His visits came down from 4-8 visits a month to 1 visit from him in a month; until his visits became mere phone calls, and from phone calls to rare messages._

_But I was strong then, and now even more so. I knew that even if I didn't get to see ojiisan at those times, I knew okaasan and otousan were there. And I knew that though ojiisan can't be there most of the time, in my heart I believed that he will be at the most important ones, because he loves me and he loves okaasan and ojiisan too. That's what reassured me that everything's going to be okay. But, even though he's not here, and it breaks my heart to witness his absence, still I believe, he has his reasons for not coming._

_Okaasan, otousan, in the 10 years I have lived with you, I want to thank you for everything you have given me. Thank you for giving me the means to live, for giving me a reason to live, and for giving me a will to live. Thank you for welcoming me into your home and into your hearts. Thank you for showing me what it means to be in a family. Thank you for making me understand that I must cling not just to independence, but to courage and love as well. It is these lessons of independence, of courage, and of love that I will be able to live out all that you taught me, and will enable me to live on my own. But, okaasan, otousan, if there is one more thing that I need to say to you, then it is this: thank you for adopting me as your daughter; for if you have not, then **I** will not have existed, and my happiest memories will not have existed—okaasan and otousan, **you** will not have existed in my life._

_I love you, okaasan, otousan… Goodbye…"_

_Rukia shut her eyes for a second then continued to re-fold the piece of paper and put it in her pocket. She put a kiss to her fingertips and laid one to each of her parents' tombstones. Then, she slowly turned towards the waiting car._

_There was a sudden, loud rumbling sound coming from the clouds. The trees swayed with the sudden gust of wind and the leaves were being blown away. Rukia was intent on ignoring the pain forming in her chest, focusing instead at the sight of the open car door. But, when the wind blew on her face, she decided to follow its direction—and her eyes gazed upon the marble markers of her parents._

_Then everything was a blur._

* * *

><p>She awakened from something wet trickling down the bridge of her nose and down the side of her cheek. Her knuckles wiped away the cold liquid that disturbed her sleep. Rukia raised her hand to her face and her eyes widened at what she saw. Tears? Was she crying <em>as <em>she slept? She immediately put her palms to her face and removed the damp streaks off her face.

_I love you, okaasan, otousan… Goodbye…_

_That_ dream. _A dream of yesterday_, she thought_. Okaasan, otousan_…

Rukia sat up and held the navy blue blanket closer to her body. The ripples of emotion were rushing into her and she felt the sharp stab of pain in her chest. Her eyes were starting to water once again, and she felt weak. She rested her forehead on her knees and tried to stop anything from falling from her violet orbs. Her breathing was becoming labored and she put a hand on her chest to clutch the fabric of the black dress she was still wearing. She closed her eyes once more.

"Um, Rukia-sama?"

The sound of someone else's voice in the room caused Rukia to raise her head abruptly, making the blonde-haired girl jump. "Gomenasai, Rukia-sama! I didn't mean to startle you or to intrude…"

"Ah, Kiyone." She looked at the blonde girl in front of her. Her usual uniform of a white long-sleeved button down shirt and a brown pencil-cut skirt was replaced by an ensemble, exactly the same in style but in black.

"No, you didn't do anything wrong." Rukia continued to say, waving off the girl's comment, and ignoring the new color of the uniform. "Anyway, is there anything you need to say to me?"

Kiyone kept her head low, conscious of the color on the new set uniforms that has been issued. "H-hai! Ano, your friend, Matsumoto-san is—"

With the mention of Matsumoto, Rukia jumped out of the bed and ran out of the room.

"—here." Kiyone heard the sound of the door closing and released a sigh of relief. At least, Rukia-sama showed the first signs of life in her body. Kiyone just couldn't bare the sight of Rukia-sama's energetic eyes become dead and dull in the 3 days that passed. She couldn't also bare the sight of her bloodshot eyes from the crying Rukia-sama must have done. Not that she saw her crying, of course, Rukia-sama is strong like that, like not anyone seeing her at her weakest.

The blonde woman turned to the bed and began arranging the sheets.

_I just hope she gets through this, that's all_. Kiyone thought to herself. _But, it's so sad! I can't imagine myself feeling so depressed and left alone to deal with all that pain! I don't I think I can keep it to myself as well!_

And with that thought, the blanket slipped off her fingers and the girl began to sob in an almost child-like manner. She was rubbing her eyes with the back of her fists and biting her lip from crying out loud.

"Oi!" a gruff voice came from the door.

Kiyone looked at the person who was peering from the entrance of the room. She turned her back to him and wiped away her tears with her sleeve when something hit her on the back of her head. "Hey! Baka! That hurts!"

She picked up the pen on the floor and threw it back to him. "Sentaro! Take this!"

The man didn't move from where he was and merely caught the object with his hand. "Ha! I got it! You're the idiot! You're crying for nothing!"

Kiyone pouted her lips. "I'm not crying for nothing! I'm crying for Rukia-sama. It's just…she's just so…sad." Her charcoal eyes began to water again.

Sentaro moved towards her and slapped the back of her head. "Baka! There you go again! You can't be sad for her! You need to be strong! Rukia-sama will not feel any better looking at someone who looks so ugly because of crying for something that doesn't even concern her."

She merely rubbed the sore spot, and composed herself. "I guess you're right…"

The weird man smirked at the girl. "Alright! Now, get back to work, crybaby!"

* * *

><p>The ginger head crossed her legs on the embroidered couch in the spacious living room of the Kuchiki mansion. She looked around the place and her eyes roamed around the luxurious room filled with paintings of landscapes, ornaments and antique furniture. Though she came over to Rukia's house often, she still wasn't used to seeing all the expensive 'stuff' that the Kuchikis have sprawled about in the expanse of their property.<p>

She noticed that everything looked the same from the last time she came here. There was nothing missing, nothing added. Everything was still expensive. Everything still looked new. And yet, the difference lies in the feeling that she gets every time she's here. Before, the sparkling eyes and the elegant aura of the Kuchiki couple permeated her soul with a mere greeting. And her best friend, Rukia, dazzles her with a happy smile that tugs at the corners of her mouth to copy hers.

And now, without that beautiful couple, somehow, the house seemed darker, gloomy even. And she didn't like that feeling that she was getting. Before, she was quite uncomfortable having the couple around, asking her questions and just talking to her; but now she was scared out of her mind because of the stark difference between the household of then and now. And it didn't help that she was horrified for Rukia; because with those two gone, she wasn't sure if her best friend would still be that same person she always loved.

Rangiku felt the fingers of her right hand brush across the ring finger of her left. She felt the coolness of the silver band there and the hard, sparkling drop of diamond on top. It helped her relax. This was her engagement ring, and yet she felt guilty for wearing it today. Gin proposed to her even before the accident involving Rukia's parents happened. And now, she was a bearer of happy news to her friend who just lost her beloved parents.

The ginger head made up her mind and made a move to remove her ring when the sound of a text message came from her phone. She flipped the top of the device and caught the name of the sender: Nanao Ise.

She sighed. Nanao Ise, one of the assistants of Ginrei Kuchiki, sent her a message. **_Again_**. And that girl texted her something that she was already told to do:

_Get her out of the house for 4 hours, then take her back._

Rangiku felt a vein pop in her head and slammed the phone shut. That damn woman called her early in the morning, to explain an emergency situation that requires Ginrei Kuchiki the help of a close friend of Rukia to come to her today and drag her out. It's not like she wasn't planning to visit her best friend, she was. She actually cut her Hawaii vacation with Gin and bought the next flight back to Tokyo upon hearing the news of the death of her best friend's parents. But the problem was, she heard about it only _yesterday_. She heard it on TV actually.

It's not everyday that a super rich businessman dies. And considering the distractions in Hawaii—the beach, the bed and Gin—she didn't consider turning on the TV until that one boring time in Hawaii that she couldn't take a nap that she decided to watch something; and her channel surfing stopped to a News forecast. It was all the same: about the Weather, Sports, International Celebrities, and Business. She was about to change the channel when two familiar faces popped into the screen: Sojun Kuchiki and Sakura Kuchiki. But what caught her attention was the headline beneath those 2 familiar faces:

_Business tycoon Sojun Kuchiki and his wife, Sakura dies because of car crash_.

The sound of a glass breaking filled the hotel room and Gin came running to see if she was alright.

When that chunk of information sunk into her system, she immediately called different airlines to get that important flight back. Gin was really considerate about it, now that she looks back. They arrived in Tokyo at 2 am and that Nanao woman called her at 4. She had barely an hour of sleep. She **_told_** her that 'Ginrei-sama' **_needs_** Rukia out of the house at _8 in the morning_. She rolled her eyes in frustration. The distance between her house and Rukia's was a good 45 minutes away from where she lived considering the distance between uptown and uptown. However; the hour before rush hour was always traffic as well and it would take more than an hour to reach her best friend's house in total. It was now just 7: 30 am.

The busty woman yawned from the lack of sleep and from the fatigue of having too much thoughts and feelings for such a short period of time.

_That old geezer. He ignored my best friend for his work, and now he's asking favors from the friends of her granddaughter? The nerve! Surely, he can't be that busy that he can't do this himself, can he?_

She'll just have to deal with Rukia's ojiisan and ask him, or rather his assistant, for an explanation of what the emergency was anyway. Sure, her best friend's feelings were important, but she didn't think that THAT was the emergency. The way that Nanao put it—her words and her tone—implies that there was a BIGGER problem, and what she was doing was going to help solve it.

But right now, she's just thankful to have some time with Rukia. And that was all the mattered, because Rangiku knew what her best friend needs right now—words of comfort, and a huge hug.

The sound of small footsteps distracted her thoughts. Her eyes shifted up to the grand staircase and saw her best friend dressed in a white long-sleeved dress. She noticed that her best friend hid her eyes from her, because what replaced them on her face were the black lens of oversized sunglasses.

Rangiku didn't waste any more time and rushed up the stairs to meet Rukia. With her arms outstretched, and her hair flying due to her abrupt movement, the ginger head ran eagerly to embrace the petite woman. "Rukia!" she screamed to her best friend. Her heart became heavy looking at her like this. The smile that she was so used to seeing was gone. Her pretty, dazzling eyes were replaced by plastic, black ovals. And she felt that without that smile to copy, her mouth was moving into a sad expression that she knew her friend has on her face.

When her arms went around Rukia, she felt tears falling from her eyes. "Rukia, you idiot! You made me worry! You could've called me in Hawaii! You know I would've come for you!" And her arms went tighter around the frail body of the woman. "You should know that I don't care if Gin will get angry. You're my best friend and I'm supposed to be there for you, okay?"

Rukia felt the warmth of Rangiku's embrace. She rested her head on the chest of the busty woman, and patted her on the back. "Rangiku, it's okay. You should get to have time with Gin since you weren't able to see him that much last semester, right?"

Rangiku shook her head in response. "No! It's not okay! You were alone. It's not right!"

Though Rukia was touched with everything her best friend was telling her, she couldn't help but feel helpless. For the past 72 hours, she was looking for someone to comfort her, yet when Rangiku came to see her, she couldn't bring herself to pour out everything she was feeling. Her small hands pushed away her friend gently and wiped the tears from the ginger head's eyes.

Rangiku helped by drying her tears with her sleeves. She was being watched by Rukia, and she saw a small smile forming on her best friend's lips. "Why are you smiling?" She sniffed.

"Because, I'm happy you're here, and it's the first time I saw you cry without the help of a sappy, romantic movie."

"Ah." A small chuckle came out from her throat. She removed the last of her tears and took Rukia's right hand in her left and led themselves down the remaining steps. Rangiku walked past the Kuchiki living room and out the door.

"Where are you taking me?" Rukia asked.

"We're going out! We need to get you out of the house! I'm going to help you out of those dreary sunglasses of yours. We're going everywhere you want to go, and eat wherever you want! It's my treat, so shut up if you're attempting to talk your way out of this." Rangiku pulled her friend along and continued to walk to her car. She opened the door for Rukia and buckled her into the seat. She beamed a smile at her. "Just in case, you intend to escape."

She walked toward her seat in the other side of the car and got the engine started. She looked to her best friend again. "So, where do you want to go first?" She saw her best friend lift a finger in thought before answering.

"To the toy store."

Rangiku widened her eyes in response. "Are you serious? A toy store?"

"Yes, I am. You're going to buy me the new limited edition Chappy Angel plushie." Her best friend told her in a serious voice.

She just nodded at Rukia's tone of finality and began driving towards the toy store her best friend was talking about. There was silence between the two during the trip; but because of Rangiku's fast driving, they can hear cars honking, wheels screeching and the engine roaring. But, in the pocket of Rangiku's pants was a phone beeping to another message from Nanao Ise:

_There's been a change of plans. Take her to the hospital as soon as you can. Tell her Ginrei-sama is waiting._

* * *

><p>Please review! :)<p> 


	4. A revelation and an arrival

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

* * *

><p><em>The rolling waves of the sea sang to his ears. The cool wind blew on his cheek, a lock of hair covering his closed eyelids. Byakuya felt the grainy texture of the ground beneath him and was surprised that he could not feel his neck resting on that same surface, but rather, it was elevated. The coarse and powdery feel of the sand was not present on the skin of his nape or his head. What lay underneath was something soft, warm, and pleasant.<em>

_**A pillow**__, he surmised._

_He shifted himself on his side to continue his sleep when the comfortable object that supported his neck and head moved as well. His body stiffened upon the movement beneath him as the sound of cloth rustling filled his ear. He opened his gray orbs to look up to the one whose lap he has been resting on and his gaze ascended from the ground to land on the white, smooth skin of a feminine chin. _

_**A woman. But who?**_

_Her neck was outstretched, and her head fell back as her eyes roamed the purple-orange hue of the sky. Her attention was not on him and she had not realized that Byakuya was already awake. He looked intently at the woman above him, waiting patiently for her to look his way. _

_The wind blew again, and his midnight locks obstructed his vision. The itching sensation from the intrusion of the sharp ends of his hair in his eyes made him shut them. The man shifted yet again and fell on his back while his fingers were finding its way to the corners of his eyes. His long digits soothed the irritated eyelids, the calloused pads of his fingers gently wiping the unpleasant sensation, when small palms held the back of his hands. _

"_Stop it." Her commanding voice startled him. _

_Her fingers tightened on his and she pulled them away from his face to leave it at his sides. She brought back her fingertips to caress him and cupped his cheeks with the warm skin of her hands. The woman leveled her head down to his and blew away the unruly strays of hair that blinded his sight. Her hot, sweet breath enveloped his face and he could not help but feel relieved that the discomfort he had felt was easing away._

"_There. All better. You can open your eyes now, Byakuya…" _

_He felt the proximity of her face from his. Her breath smelled like honey, and her fingers on the sides of his face made something twitch inside his body. Her melodious voice saying his name in such familiarity had ignited his curiosity of her identity even more. His hands found their way to her wrists and he held them firmly in place. But upon opening his eyes, Byakuya felt his breath leaving his throat. _

_The mesmerizing pools of purple drowned him in its depths. _

_**Beautiful.**_

"_Byakuya? Is something wrong?" _

_She was upside down in his vision. Her penetrating eyes were the only ones leveled with his, and somehow, he felt that he __**needed**__ to see more of the ethereal stranger. He focused on his task of uncovering her identity and let his eyes reluctantly leave hers to wander to the whole of her face. He admired the straight line of her small nose, her round, flushed cheeks, her long, curled eyelashes and the single stray of hair sticking to her forehead. He continued traversing down her face and stopped at the sight of her shapely, pink lips. _

_His hand unconsciously released one of her wrists and settled itself on her nape, his fingers entwining themselves with her soft hair. He looked back to her eyes, beautiful and purple, still observing what he was doing. He could hear his heartbeat resounding in his ears as tendrils of her hair tickled his cheek, sending a shiver all the way…down. There was a fluttering in his stomach and he could not help but hold her closer to him. With one hand on her wrist, and another on the back of her neck, Byakuya leaned her down to let her lips fall on his._

* * *

><p>Ice cold droplets trickled down the face of the handsome man. His hands were holding on to the side of the sink, his knuckles turning white from gripping them tight. Byakuya glanced up to his reflection, his angry gray eyes staring him down. In the mirror, his hair stuck to his forehead and on to the sides of his face, dripping with the water that he had used to freshen up while beads of liquid continued to crawl down the smooth surface of his warm cheeks.<p>

_That dream._

He splashed more of the cool water and felt the dampness forming on his chest. He took out his handkerchief from his pocket and wiped the wetness off his skin. He could not understand his reaction to an illusory situation with a nonexistent woman, and yet, such proved to be provocative enough to spread warmth all over him. And it bothered him even more, that the effect of that figmental tryst was evident on his cheeks. He could not surmise the intrusion of such fantasies in his dreams, and yet, he was able to rest his eyes for half the duration of the flight.

He weaved his fingers through his hair and began to put them back into place. He was eyeing himself on the mirror, ensuring that the way he'll look when he departs the bathroom will be…_dignified_, the way he _always_ does. He pulled one last time on the lapels of his jacket and headed out the door.

Making his way to his seat, Byakuya's eyes drifted to his assistant's form in the opposite chair from his. The redhead was ungracefully seated. His legs were stretched out, his back, sliding of the leather surface of the seat, and his arms crossed loosely at his waist, while his head was bent at an unnatural looking angle; all the while with his mouth open to let out a shameless sound of a snore.

Byakuya slid down to the leathered cushion and glanced at the open briefcase beside him. He stored all things he considered too valuable in the bag—his phone, his laptop, his wallet, and the faded picture of his family from his desk. The situation that he was faced with pushed all feelings of grief to the back of his priorities. The problems that arose since his parents' death kept his mind and heart busy and tired enough NOT to succumb to the emotional turmoil that was inevitable given the recent events.

His grandfather's assistant, Kyoraku, had contacted him with unfortunate news. There seemed to be a movement of the Kuchiki relatives, led on by none other than Megumi herself, his father's sister. He was informed that it was a movement against Rukia, and it was done right after the news of his parents' death was made public. Byakuya considered such act of his aunt to be despicable, disrespectful even to his father, his mother, his grandfather and to him.

Kyoraku had continued to explain that his presence was an utmost importance in Tokyo, for his ojiisan will be unable to take action unless he was there. Furthermore, his presence will be able to ease the old man of his condition, thus, he was to return to Japan as soon as possible. True enough, when he was finished with the sorting and signing of the paperwork, he was taken directly to his private plane with his things already packed.

He let his eyes drift back to the faded picture as he remembered the single thought he had as he was finishing his work. Taking the picture on the corner with his fingertips, he was able to look closely without hindrance from his previous lethargic state. He noticed that in this photo, Rukia bore the brunt of the effect of the sun. Her small form and her smile were the only features that he could make out clearly, but the rest of her was discolored and faded. It was a poor picture of her, for he cannot make out her entire face, but with her black hair, and slightly fairer skin, she looked like the biological daughter of his parents—a Kuchiki by blood. However, if one took a second glance at her, they will be able to affirm that she indeed was adopted—and all that one has to see were her eyes. The Kuchiki clan had eyes of brown or gray in color, with lighter or darker variations; and as he observed, hers were visibly _different_.

Rukia's eyes in the photo came off in a light blue color, though he was uncertain of what color they may truly be. But nevertheless, it was what set her apart.

He placed the photo inside of his suitcase, and leaned back on his chair. He was going to resolve this sudden predicament. No matter how difficult the complication may be, and no matter what the outcome is going to be, he was indebted to his parents to set things right with Rukia.

_7 hours more._

7 hours more, and he will be able to try. But for now, he will be able to have the much required sleep. For he knew, that once he steps off this plane, his time will be consumed with work and family problems. His eyes drooped once more, the refreshed feeling from washing the warmth off his face helping him relax.

And with his eyes finally closed, he found that his mind began racing back to the arms of the purple-eyed woman.

* * *

><p>Rangiku tucked her hair behind one ear and rested her chin on her palm. She glanced at her best friend who was eating her meal which consisted of a burger, a serving of French fries, and a large coke. What other way can you comfort someone other than give them some comfort food? With Rukia it will be hitting 2 birds with one stone: Maybe her mood will lighten up even just a bit and she would be able to eat something too. She heard from that blonde girl in her best friend's house that she ate very little in the past 3 days.<p>

_At least she's eating and smiling a little wider now too._ _Though she still is wearing those sunglasses._

Rangiku checked the paper bags beside Rukia. Her lips were curved into a smile as she remembered that they went to the toy store, to the bookshop, to the candy shop, and to the arts and crafts store. The busty woman got her the Chappy Angel, a picture book of beautiful photographs, her favorite chocolates, a set of paintbrushes and a box of oil and watercolor paint for painting practice. Though it cost less than she expected, she found it absolutely adorable that her friend felt better because of simple, inexpensive things.

Her eyes were still on Rukia's face when she removed her hand from under her chin and let it fall on her lap. Her fingers continued moving on the smooth surface of her jeans when she felt the round outline of her engagement ring. She was relieved that she was able to remove it before Rukia saw it. She completely forgot about taking it off because of _that_ woman.

_Hmm_.

Now that she thought about it, the 4 hours of bonding was almost up. She grabbed her phone from that same pocket and saw that there was a new message from Nanao, but she received it a few minutes after they left the Kuchiki mansion. She flipped the top open and began to read the message.

_There's been a change of plans. Take her to the hospital as soon as you can. Tell her Ginrei-sama is waiting._

"Shit!" The ginger head screamed. The sound of heels dropping on the concrete floor resounded in the fast food restaurant.

Rukia stopped chewing and looked up at the tall woman. "Rangiku, what's wrong?"

"Here. Just read this." Rangiku took her best friend's hand and placed her phone in it.

Rukia raised an eyebrow at the sudden seriousness of her friend. Her grip on the phone tightened as she stared into small screen with her mouth agape.

"Rukia, I promise I'll explain this later. But now, let's just _go_!" Rangiku was jumping in anxiety.

Her best friend remained still. Rangiku wasted no time and took hold of Rukia's arm and pulled her best friend off the chair. With bags in one hand and her friend's arm on the other, she ran fast towards her car. Rangiku plunged the key into the ignition and drove away like her best friend's life depended on it.

* * *

><p>The old man stood nearby the window of his hospital suite and glanced at the view the best room of the hospital could offer. Ginrei Kuchiki would normally do such things to keep his mind clear of troubles, but somehow, it did not work now. The grief that he felt left him emotionally in pain and it was evident in his tired eyes. The man looked back to his friend, lawyer, and business associate, Yamamoto, and saw that he was calmly drinking his tea.<p>

"Yamamoto, is there nothing we can do?"

The older man raised his lips from the rim of his tea cup, his eyes laden with sadness and pity at his friend's dilemma. "I am afraid not, Ginrei."

It was an expected reply, yet he could not believe that it was the reality. The Kuchiki released a sigh of exasperation. It was the first time he felt powerless to resolve a problem. In the past 3 days he was recovering in the hospital, his assistants were the ones who took his place and handled matters for him. But despite being able to perform their jobs well, their energies were focused on keeping the company running smoothly and keeping his recent state of health a secret from the public and from his granddaughter, Rukia. These are 2 tasks which are of utmost importance, and yet, these were the least of Ginrei's worries.

Nanao and Kyoraku were unable to anticipate the problem that was brought about upon the death of Sojun. And the protection of Rukia—from the other relatives including Megumi—was a priority that was ignored. Ginrei knew that the lack of sympathy for his son's family coming from the other Kuchikis have been a hindrance to Rukia and his son's family life, and now he could not believe that in the short time he was in the hospital, they have changed her fate.

The old man narrowed his eyes in anger.

He made it his personal obligation to protect Rukia; however, his sudden absence due to his sensitive condition rendered his daughter and the other relatives fearless and unstoppable on what they have succeeded to do.

A soft knock broke his thoughts and his female assistant entered the room.

"Ginrei-sama, Rukia-sama and her friend are here."

Ginrei nodded and stood up to welcome the visitors. His eyes met with the ginger head who entered the room first. He shifted his gaze outside the door when someone bumped the tall woman from behind and ran across the room to him. He felt a small body tackle him and put thin arms around his waist. Realizing who it was, the old Kuchiki reciprocated the hug and stroked the raven hair of his grandchild. "Rukia, how I've missed you."

He first noticed that she had grown taller, though she still is petite. Her shapeless body from 5 years ago transformed beautifully into a young woman's. Yet all in all, she was still the pretty, innocent granddaughter he cherished and loved.

"Ojiisan, I've missed you too." Her violet orbs were now relieved of the dark glasses, and Ginrei could see tears pooling on her lashes as she blinked.

He slid his arms away from his granddaughter and pulled her to sit beside him on the couch as he held her hand with both of his. "Rukia, first and foremost, there are a few things I would like to say before we go into the heart of the matter. I request that you not interrupt me, for what I have to say is of extreme importance…Rukia, I want to apologize for not being with you the last few days. I have been detained in this room for the past 72 hours, recuperating."

"I was grief stricken upon the news of your parents' deaths. I was in my office at the time I was made aware of the_ situation_… I vaguely remember the pain and the moment that I found it difficult to breathe. When I woke up, I was in this same room. The next 48 hours I spent drifting in and out of consciousness, and for the last 24, I have been slowly regaining my health. And here I am. Rukia, I know it must have been hard for you these past few days, but I hope you can forgive my absence."

Rukia was controlling her tears, but she merely nodded at what he was saying. "Ojiisan, I understand. I always knew you had your reasons for doing the things you did, but I never knew that you got sick, ojiisan! Is that why you called me here? Are you going to be alright? Or…or…" Her lips trembled, and the words that she was about to say were lost in her attempt to control a sob from coming out her mouth as tears fell down her cheeks.

Ginrei patted the back of her hand enclosed in his. He was both touched and sad because of his granddaughter's concern and perception of why she was urgently called here. "Rukia, indeed I was sick; however, I am alright now and I will continue to be so. It was a moment of weakness that came in with the accumulation of stress, and it is over now. There is no need to worry about me, Rukia."

When she read that text message, no words came into her mind. She was in a state of shock, panic, and worry. But with the assurance and admission of her grandfather, the petite woman felt better-even just a little more than she already did because of Rangiku. She raised one hand to brush away the forming tears in her eyes, and glanced back at her grandfather.

But he looked away, the expression of his eyes hardened. Rukia tensed up with her grandfather's expression.

"However, my health is not the reason I called you here for, Rukia. The issue that we are now facing concerns you." Ginrei released his granddaughter's hand and stood up. "This is my lawyer, Yamamoto, and he will explain the situation at hand. It is best that I leave it at his expertise to elaborate on the current _problem_."

The old man across him let down his tea cup on the table and took his briefcase from the side of his chair. He pulled out a thin stack of papers and placed them on the table side by side, facing Rukia.

With each paper being laid down, silence deafened the room. Ginrei had his arms crossed, his face emotionless when he slumped back to the couch. The two women sat waiting for the old man to speak. Rukia was observing the papers covering the surface of the wooden table but Rangiku was fidgeting for she knew that _something_ was about to happen.

Yamamoto placed the last one and met the eyes of the young woman.

"Rukia Kuchiki, you are the adopted daughter of Sojun and Sakura Kuchiki, am I correct?"

Rukia nodded in response.

"Well, these are the papers that prove that. But 3 days ago, upon the news of your parents' deaths, Megumi Kuchiki has started to go through your papers. One by one, she erased the names of Sakura and Sojun Kuchiki as your adoptive parents, and had them listed instead as your benefactors—that they merely sponsored your education and living expenses. Do you know what this means, Rukia?"

"This means, that with your obasan's bribery and blackmailing, she has succeeded to change such information in your records, thus, the entire process of adoption that your parents have gone through to have you as their daughter has been undone. It means that these papers before you no longer have truth. It identifies that _you_, Rukia Kuchiki, were never the daughter of Sakura and Sojun Kuchiki—"

"—but a mere lucky recipient of their charity and generosity."

Yamamoto's voice echoed in the room. But the abrupt movement of Rangiku shattered the silence as she put her arms around her best friend. Rukia held the arms of the busty woman with one hand and felt the other being taken into the hand of her ojiisan. She leaned her head towards Rangiku's shoulder and let herself be comforted.

The old man looked back and forth to Rukia and to Ginrei, but the elder Kuchiki just nodded for him to continue.

"Your aunt has made it extremely difficult to reverse what she has done. She has taken both legal and illegal means to ensure it. However, I would like you to know that your inheritance—"

A hand gestured for Yamamoto to stop.

"I don't care for my inheritance. It doesn't matter if it is taken away from me."

The lawyer took one of the documents and held it to show the young woman. "Miss Kuchiki, you misunderstood what I was about to say. This document that I am holding is the will of your parents; and I am pleased to inform you that since you are the only Rukia Kuchiki that has been affiliated with the couple, your aunt was unable to take away your inheritance from you. What your parents have entrusted you with as stipulated in this document is rightfully yours. Would you like to see it?"

The old man extended his arm to give the piece of paper to Rukia and Rangiku released her hold on her best friend. Rukia took the document but instead of reading it, her head turned towards her grandfather.

"What's wrong Rukia?"

Rukia shook her head in response and turned back her attention to Yamamoto. She held the paper in her grasp tightly and gave back the paper to the lawyer. "I'm sorry, but I don't want to see it yet. Seeing what they have left in this world may just remind me that they are…really…_gone_." She looked away but continued to speak.

"As for the problem with my adoption, here is what I would like to say: They were the people I loved the most and I am proud enough to say that they were my parents once. They gave me everything and more—education, food, a house to live in, a loving family—and these were things that I thought that I could never have. That is why, with this predicament, I don't have much words because…I think that this is _fine _with me—that it's fine not to be their daughter on paper, because no matter what these documents say about me or about them, they have given me the happiest life I could ever imagine as part of their family."

"Thus, instead of immersing myself in fixingthis," she said pointing to the papers on the table, "I would like to try and live my life the way _my parents_ would like me to live it without them. I want to focus on having better relations with the only real family I have left—ojiisan…and…and…Nii-sama."

Yamamoto smiled inwardly at the young Kuchiki in front of him. As a lawyer, he should never have feelings with the cases that were presented to him; however, with Ginrei and his family involved, it was the most emotion he could have hidden in a mask of indifference. He would never have suspected that the petite lady would be mature and strong enough to wave off the problem as _not_ a problem at all.

"Indeed, Rukia Kuchiki, I believe that that is a wise decision for you to make and I admire you for the strength and courage you have shown in taking in the news gracefully. However, though you may feel that way, your grandfather and your brother believe otherwise; thus, I am here. Your grandfather will explain such matters with you; but for now, I will take my leave for I have an appointment with another client. It was nice meeting you Rukia Kuchiki. And Ginrei, we will talk about this more when Byakuya arrives." Yamamoto stood up with a nod of goodbye and left, taking the documents with him.

With the sound of the door closing, the old Kuchiki cleared his throat. "Rukia, I promise I will find away around this. I will be doing the best I can to undo this problem, though you may have no desire to. I owe it to Sojun and Sakura, and to you. Byakuya has been informed of the situation and he will be arriving tonight. We will discuss the matter when he gets here."

Rukia's eyes widened in confusion. "Nii-sama will be in Tokyo _tonight_?" _But I thought I won't get to see him until after 2 days._ She doesn't understand why but she felt nervous about meeting him. He's a total stranger and yet he's supposed to be her brother. And now that he's one of the two people she's got for a family, she should be able establish a good relationship with him and be close, right? Her fingers unconsciously clutched the fabric of her skirt.

"Yes, he will be. However, I do not want for you to meet him yet. The purpose for his urgent trip is for the discussion of this current predicament. And as much as possible, I would like for you to avoid contact from us for a week. Megumi has ways to complicate the problems we are now having, and I do not want you to be entangled in it. We anticipate problems involving not only you but the company as well."

Rukia paused in thought and huffed. "So, ojiisan and Nii-sama will be shouldering all these problems? Ojiisan, I can't let you and Nii-sama deal with this alone! I want to help too, in whatever way I can." Her eyes were pleading the old man.

Ginrei saw that look in her eyes but shook his head. "Rukia, I believe that you should let us handle this. Megumi has created enough obstructions in your life as it is. But what I want for you to do, is to take the week off with your friend, Rangiku." The old man looked at the ginger head beside his granddaughter.

"Ojiisan! You can't just…Rangiku might have plans! She doesn't need to have a gloomy person hanging around her for a week!" She said, waving her hands in protest.

Rangiku slapped the back of her head. "Ojiisan! I'm sorry for hitting her but she has to learn that she's the best friend that I'll do anything for. And you, you baka! There's 3 weeks left before the second semester begins, and I don't think that a week with you will be a problem at all! It's perfect actually since I haven't seen you since vacation began." She wrapped an arm around Rukia's neck and faced them both to Ginrei. "Ojiisan, you can count me in on your surprise plan." She gave him a thumbs up.

The old man chuckled at the sight of the 2 friends in front of him. "Matsumoto Rangiku, I am grateful that you have agreed with this. I must say that a simple 'thank you' will not suffice for the service that you have rendered my clan –that is for cooperating with my assistant this morning and for cooperating with me for the sake of my granddaughter."

Rukia turned her head to her best friend. "What plan? Everything was a plan?"

Rangiku merely gave her a peace sign.

"Yes, Rukia. Everything was a plan but your best friend here became part of it only at the last minute. So, do not think that she was, in any part, deceiving you or going behind your back." He met the eyes of his granddaughter and waited for her approval to continue. Rukia gave a nod.

"You see, Rukia, the time that your best friend took you out was the time when I ordered maids to pack your things." He looked to the ginger head. "Do not worry about your things, Rangiku. Your things have been packed by the man in your apartment." He paused in thought. "The packing was accomplished in no time at all but it took time to move furniture in the new condominium unit where both of you will be staying." Ginrei caught the eyes of his granddaughter once more. "Rukia, it's near that coffee shop you really like; and in the unit, I had them create a makeshift dark room for your photography." He felt the corners of his mouth moving up as he saw her smile.

The old man then turned back his attention to Rangiku. "And as for you, I need to offer you compensation fit for the aid that you have given my granddaughter and me. For the duration of one week, both of you will be staying in that unit; but, when the week is over, the unit will be yours."

Rangiku sat up in shock, her mouth wide open. "Ojiisan! I can't accept that! I'm glad to do it for free! Honest! She's my best friend and she's worth—"

Ginrei narrowed his eyes at her.

The busty woman felt the room temperature drop to zero as her palms began to sweat. "U-umm…I'm glad to have it! Thank you!" Sure, she was glad that she didn't have to explain to Rukia about what her part was in his plans, but this was different to a whole new level. She didn't expect to get paid or receive anything for that matter. She was just honestly concerned about her best friend. But now, it made her feel like she was doing this just to get paid. _This feels wrong._

The old man gave her a cheery smile but she was only creeped out at the sudden shift of demeanor. "You're welcome. I am glad that you accepted this gift. After you and your fiancé get married, you can start a family in that big unit."

The forced grin that was on Rangiku's face turned into a straight line. _Ojisaan! You idiot! Rukia wasn't supposed to know about it until later! _The stiff woman felt something tug at her sleeve and saw Rukia giving her a curious look. "Is it true?"

Rangiku gulped.

She was about to answer the question but a knock from the door stopped her. A man dressed in a white coat came in. "I apologize for the intrusion, but Ginrei-sama's guests must leave. He is scheduled for a last check-up before he will be released later this afternoon."

The busty woman heaved a sigh of relief.

The two women glanced at the old Kuchiki as he stood up. He extended his arm to help his granddaughter off the couch. "Rukia, I am afraid that this is goodbye for one week. You may reach my assistants, Kyoraku and Nanao, if you feel the need to forward a message to me." Ginrei approached and gave her a warm embrace. "Please do not feel sad with the days that come, for you know that I am here, and your Nii-sama will be here. But I doubt that you will feel much gloom because of your friend." He released her and gave her hand a final squeeze.

"Now go. I have been informed that you were unable to sleep properly the last few days. Go to the unit and sleep. Again, do not worry about me or Byakuya. Just remember that I love you and _he_ loves you."

* * *

><p>"So, you and Gin are getting married, and you didn't tell me?" the petite woman in the white dress asked her best friend as she threw a pillow to her face. "Even my grandfather knew about it!" She threw another one.<p>

The tall woman blocked the last pillow and threw it back on Rukia's bed. "Hey! Control your horrible temper for a second! I'm sorry! I was going to tell you when we get back to your house, but then your ojiisan beat me to it! I didn't even know that he knew that I was engaged!"

Rukia huffed. She didn't like people when they go behind her back. But Rangiku and her ojiisan can be an exception. "Okay, okay. I guess I believe you." She pounded a fist to her open palm, reaching a conclusion.

Her best friend stood up from kneeling as she brushed away dust from her knees. "Just like that? You believe me? After you threw a pillow at me?" She put a finger to her chin in thought. Rangiku glanced at Rukia, who has sizing her reaction.

"Yup. I guess, I do. Rangiku, you can lie well, unlike me. But, you can't lie about my ojiisan being able to know things. Besides, I trust you." She put a hand at the side of her mouth as if to tell a secret. "Remember what I told you before, that he's like Santa? He kind of really is. He just knows things that you're sure he wasn't supposed to know about."

Rangiku blinked a few times and gave her a dreadful smile. "Yeah, of course." _I guessed that much_. She felt herself sweatdrop as she was going through some of her things in the carton, and found the pink medicine pouch she had been looking for since they came to the condo. She unzipped the small bag and took out a strip of white pills. She popped one into her hand and gave it to Rukia. "Here. Drink this. It will knock you out for 6-7 hours. There's water on your bedside table."

Rukia took the pill and lay down on the bed. She inserted herself within the sheets and swallowed the pill with a glass of water. As she drank, her best friend moved towards the door before she stopped her. "Rangiku."

The woman turned around.

"Thank you so much for today and thank you for agreeing with ojiisan. I really appreciate it. Congratulations too on your engagement."

Rangiku crossed towards the bed and sat down at the edge. "It's no problem Rukia. But, are you really okay?"

She nodded at her question and stifled a yawn. "Not completely, but I am. I was so glad to see you and ojiisan today. I feel better, but I'm still hurting you know?" She yawned yet again and felt herself slipping back further into the sheets. "Whatever obasan did…I am still my parents' daughter. Because of them, I have ojiisan and Nii-sama. If it weren't for my mom and my dad I wouldn't have gone to university and have met you. They gave me these memories which are worth more than anything in the world. They considered me as their own—they cared for me and they _loved_ me. I don't need proof of all this because all the proof I need is in here." She patted her chest lazily as her eyes were struggling to stay open.

"Rangiku, what's written on paper is irrelevant…it's what…unwritten…that is."

The ginger head let her best friend fall asleep and made her way out Rukia's room and continued to move towards hers. She was thinking of what her best friend has gone through the whole day and it bothered her not because of how pitiful it is, but because somewhere in her heart, she felt that something was falling into place.

Rangiku shook of the feeling as she turned the knob of her new room and headed for the soft mattress of the bed. She had but one thought in her mind as she relished the feel of the sheets.

_I hope I'm right._

* * *

><p>Please review! :)<p>

Next chapter: Mesmerized


	5. Mesmerized

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

Note: There's some legal stuff that I wrote about within the fic. I'm not a lawyer nor am I studying to be one, so please do not perceive that part as truthful.

* * *

><p>In the grandiose mansion of the Kuchikis, everything was silent. The empty rooms and the vacant hallways intensified its large size. In one wing of the abode, a study room was brightly lit with two men deep in thought. From the moment that Ginrei arrived in the estate in the late afternoon, he and Yamamoto have been considering solutions to rectify the problem.<p>

Upon the news of Rukia's tampered papers, the old Kuchiki's lawyers led have filed a petition for legal guardianship for Ginrei, since Byakuya's status as her legal guardian was suspiciously 'stripped' from him by the court. To exacerbate matters, the court reviewed Ginrei's legal guardianship as unnecessary for Rukia, and therefore his petition has been denied.

The Kuchiki's lawyers have found out the cause of dubious occurrences—the people behind these acts were receiving money from an 'anonymous source'. Hence, Rukia is left with no protection from Megumi and other family members who disfavor her as Sojun and Sakura's daughter, and thus can also have themselves appointed as her legal guardian in order to have authority over Rukia's properties and finances, which includes _her inheritance_.

The older man shifted in his seat and broke the deafening silence.

"Ginrei, might I make a suggestion? Why don't you let Rukia marry into the family?" The old lawyer asked, his serious eyes leveled with the Kuchiki's.

Ginrei immediately shook his head. "No. It is impossible! The others do not even deem her worthy of their presence; though, I honestly think that it's the other way around. Furthermore, I cannot find any reason as to why I should entrust my granddaughter's life with one of _them_, especially now that they so clearly expressed their desire for her money."

Yamamoto gave a soft chuckle. "I am familiar with the disdain you have for your so-called relatives. But, I did not give such a suggestion without someone in mind for Rukia."

The old Kuchiki's posture sat up in mild surprise. "Oh? Is there a Kuchiki that you think_ I_ will approve of? A man who you think is_ worthy_ of her? Someone who _will_ protect her? "

Yamamoto gave him a knowing smile.

"Byakuya."

Gray eyes uncharacteristically widened as he spoke."Yamamoto, you forget that he is her _brother_."

"Ginrei, Marriage is a mere option, but it is the best one we have thought of in the limited span of time we had this discourse of protecting her. Think about it—Rukia will be in the hands of someone you trust—someone who has accepted her as part of your family. Did he not write so himself?"

"Yes, but—"

The lawyer gestured for the Kuchiki not to interrupt. "Rukia is not his sister, nor him, her brother—in _any_ way. He is not even her legal guardian anymore. Megumi has made sure of that. They have not spoken to each other or written to each other this past decade. They have not even met—not in person or in recent photos. Am I correct?"

"Yes."

"Therefore, when they introduce themselves, will they not be meeting a stranger? It will be a man meeting a woman with no familial love attaching them as siblings..."

"But marriage, Yamamoto? Byakuya and Rukia may not be involved with anyone at the moment; but forcing them into this union will garner a most undesirable outcome for both of them."

"_Force them,_ you say? I have not said anything of that sort. My friend, all I am saying is that, I believe a brother-sister relationship is rather difficult to establish. 10 years of estrangement is a hard gap to fill. Can we not instead have faith and invest in their initial impressions of one another? Byakuya is a very handsome man whose intellect and determination expanded the business and profits into unimaginable heights. Rukia, on the other hand, is a pretty and sweet woman whose skills—and _not_ her surname, I might add—in photography established her as an up-and-coming photographer."

"'Initial impressions', Ginrei, may just be a push in the direction of a romantic relationship. They are both mature enough to see one another's desirable traits. And in no time, with encouragement and support for both of them, Rukia will be a part of your family once again—only with Byakuya and Rukia happily married. She will be protected, my friend. You have no need not worry for their welfare any longer because by then, your granddaughter will be in capable hands; and the same goes for Byakuya."

Ginrei looked away further, staring in to space as if searching for the right words to say. He knew that his friend has an irrefutable point; but, it felt as if he was going behind Sojun and Sakura's back. He glanced at his old friend, who was expecting a response. He let his mind wander for a little bit more about the proposal before he spoke.

"Yamamoto, I cannot decide for Byakuya nor for Rukia. I also cannot erase in my mind that they were once established as siblings because of my son and his wife; though the evidence of that no longer exists. However, it is also disconcerting that you have given such an excellent point. But, like what I have said, I cannot make this decision for them. It is they who must reach _that_ decision."

The lawyer gripped the tea cup in front of him in thought, the aroma of the light brown tea relieving his stress. "Ginrei, we cannot rely on them to recognize these feelings by themselves—they will be in denial. No doubt, they will somehow regard such impressions of each other as taboo. Thus, if ever you agree to consider their marriage as an option, you must be able to aid them subtly in their quest to embrace their attraction for one another and help them realize the possibility of a romantic relationship."

His gray eyes were wandering yet again, and he felt that he was conceding to such option as he heaved a sigh. "Do you honestly think that this is a viable option to protect Rukia?"

"I believe so. It is worth a try, don't you think?"

His friend's idea made him uncomfortable and yet, he wanted to give it a shot.

"Let us try it then. When they meet, let us see if there really is a possibility of a future marriage."

* * *

><p>Any movement by the sleek black car of the Kuchiki was hindered by the vehicles huddled together in traffic. The irritating noise persisted ever since they have left the airport, along with the slow pace they have been caught in. There was no moment of silence and Byakuya felt that he could not relax in this environment which assaulted both his sense of sight and of hearing.<p>

His eyes drifted outside the window, rummaging through the continuous rows of shops and restaurants filling every space of the busy capital. The lights were blinding him and the deafening clamor from outside was testing his patience.

He found it was necessary that he finds a way to soothe his senses, and let his eyelids meet in an attempt to drown out the chaos.

_Purple. _

His gray orbs shot open at the unexpected vision running through his mind. _Purple._ It was a color he knew too well from his dreams during the trip. The pools of the red and blue mixture have not faded from his thoughts. The monochromatic hue that penetrated and drowned his being still haunts his consciousness. _T_he rare beauty that blinded his eyes with her own.

Byakuya rested his elbow on the window sill, his fist supporting his temple. He did not know that woman, and yet he felt that she was familiar. He was certain he had not met her before for no woman had such an effect on him. Her round eyes, accentuated with her long eyelashes, hypnotized him to lose himself in those lilac orbs. Her shapely mouth, that was on his several times, left him _needing_ more. The moments that he had with the woman were exhilarating. It filled and left him with strong emotions that he thought he was incapable of.

He closed the fist supporting his head tighter, his nails digging into his smooth palm.

_Ridiculous_. _This is unheard of._

An unknown woman as the subject of his fantasies.

_Pathetic._

He immersed himself in his thoughts when a sudden halt sent his body back hard on to the leather cushion of his chair, the honk of the vehicle behind them invading his abused ears. Byakuya exhaled through his nose slowly as he felt the streak of annoyance igniting within him. His furious gaze moved to the front of the car where the chauffeur and his assistant were seated.

The redhead caught his eyes from the mirror. "Boss, are you okay? The car in front of us just stopped!"

Byakuya merely nodded. Truthfully, he had enough of this terrible congestion. He required some sort of remedy to ease this growing frustration—both from waiting too long and from the obscurity of his _thoughts_. He needed something to relax. He needed…coffee.

"Abarai." The tall man in front turned to face him, his flashy hair covered in a hideous article of clothing.

"Where is the nearest coffee shop?"

Renji gave him a blank look and nudged the chauffeur.

"Sir, we will pass one of the best coffee shops along the way. That tall building over there is the new condo near the shop. It's not far from where we are now."The driver said immediately, pointing to the skyscraper.

Byakuya gave him a wave of approval and the car drove off to the direction of the edifice.

* * *

><p>The cool temperature of the city did not stop Rukia from holding on to the ice-cold drink in her hands. The freezing sensation of the blended mocha coffee going down her throat felt good. She couldn't believe that she missed out in getting her caffeine fix for 3 days. The bittersweet taste of the beverage always managed to make her feel relaxed and calm, and it did not disappoint now.<p>

Rukia was happily sipping her coffee, leaning her back on the equally cold metal of the pole behind her. She was waiting for Rangiku to return, and though her best friend did tell her that it wouldn't take long, she could still see the ginger head at the middle of the long line in front of the ramen house across the street.

When she woke up that night, she felt invigorated. Her physical state improved—her eye bags were disappearing, her skin regained its healthy glow, her hair was no longer a map of tangles, and her eyes looked livelier than it did these past few days. She was well-rested, but she couldn't say the same for Rangiku.

She giggled at her best friend. The busty woman stood tall, leaning on the restaurant, whilst her eyes were opening and closing as the line moved forward. _She must be really sleepy._ The petite woman thought, as she held on to her purchases.

The fingers of her left hand excitedly unfolded the brown paper bag that was inserted between her upper arm and the side of her breast. She took the golden brown treat with its wrapper and nibbled gingerly, the coarse texture of the oatmeal and raisins rolling on her tongue as she savored its salty-sweet taste. Rukia closed her eyes in bliss.

Her mind was on the soft and chewy piece of heaven melting in her mouth when loud thud forced her eyes open to the direction where the sound came from.

Not far from where she stood, a man wearing a black bonnet was rubbing his back as the window from the back seat of the car he was leaning on was rolling up. _A thief?_

Her eyes couldn't see very well because of the light streaming down above her rendered everything beyond the circle of light darker; and the weird man and the car were far away enough to escape her sight. She squinted her eyes in effort to see what's happening, with her fingers loosening on the cup, preparing to throw the plastic container if something horrible occurs. She waited for a moment, but nothing happened as her suspicions were proved to be wrong when the tall figure disappeared into that same car and drove away.

She heaved a sigh of relief, her digits tightening on the cold cup of coffee when a hand lightly grasped her shoulder. Her cookie fell from her fingers and a small amount of her drink sloshed to the ground at the sudden pang of anxiety leaking out of her body. She turned around, ready to spill the contents of the cup on the bastard who made her drop the pastry, but her eyes just blinked in disappointment—with her adrenaline severely diminished.

"Rangiku."

A plastic bag hit her on the nose. "Rukia." The tall woman smirked down at her. "What were you doing? Did you think I was some sort of goon?"

The petite woman rolled her eyes. "Of course I did. And you dropped my cookie!" Rukia pointed to the fragmented remnants of what was once her snack.

"I'll just buy you another one. But more importantly, what made you think I was some thug? You're under a street light you know. And besides, there are like, many witnesses if that happens."

Rukia exhaled as she recalled what just occurred. "Well, there's this guy a while ago. He was wearing this bonnet and then I think he was hit by someone from the window of a car. I thought he was a thief so I got alarmed and I thought he was going to approach me. But then, he went into the same car before they left. And then you surprised me from behind…so…I thought…you were an accomplice or something."

The busty woman burst out in laughter. "You thought they were criminals? When I was crossing the street, that guy with the bonnet was giving someone in the car a cup of coffee. And then I overheard that tall guy saying something to his 'boss' about a cute girl, getting her number for him, blah blah blah…Then, the bonnet guy turned to the direction of the girl, and he just got suddenly pulled in and pushed from the window."

"Really?"

"Yeah!" The tall woman started laughing again, but it died out as she saw the serious expression of her friend.

"Are you sure about that?"

Rangiku shrugged.

"You know what, since you're so pensive right now, I'm going to give you something to think about."

Rukia just gave her a puzzled look. "What?"

Rangiku leveled down to her best friend, her face now humorless. "The man in the bonnet was about to approach someone, right? Well…he was turning to _your_ direction…which means that the man—well I think it was a man—in the car was interested in _you." _ Her teasing words resounded in the air as she spoke.

The petite woman blinked, thinking of the remote possibility of that happening. She narrowed her eyes in disbelief. "Ha-ha. Very funny. Like I would believe that."

"Do you want to know their license plate? I still remember it." Rangiku winked at the petite woman, who was as red as a tomato.

Rukia stomped one foot on the concrete floor, took one plastic bag from the tall woman's hand, and ran towards the condo.

"Rukia, that's my ramen!" Rangiku huffed as she eyed the small woman's retreating form.

_Rukia, you dense oaf! I wasn't kidding!_

* * *

><p>The silent ride heading towards their destination already eased the anarchy that Byakuya experienced in traffic. The unbearable roads of Tokyo became tolerable after passing a wreck. He relished the almost nonexistent noise in the street they were driving in, free of tactless and infuriating drivers whose cars they steered around like a toy; and devoid of shops whose music was blaring from their speakers into the already deafening sea of vehicles.<p>

As they drove on, he noticed, the establishments were becoming more and more exclusive. There were designer shops and stores for luxury goods. The mass of people on the sidewalk dissipated, leaving a countable number of men and women crossing on the elevated concrete surface.

"Sir, we're nearing the coffee shop. It's the one over there with the streetlight in front of it." The chauffeur gestured outside the window, Byakuya's eyes looking to the direction he pointed.

His gray orbs drifted to the side, following the humble glow of its sign. At the corner of his eye, he made out the visibly new structure of the condominium; its sparkling tiles, reflecting the lights which surrounded it. His eyes shifted from the shop and let his eyes roam on the sidewalk as the car slowed. There were at least 5 stores between the tall edifice and his desired destination. And each store entertained only a few or no customers at all.

He was skimming through the signs of these outlets, his grays orbs seemingly bored at the task, when a familiar vision flashed before his eyes.

_Purple._

The momentary shock rippled through his body, his eyes, rounded like marbles at the surreal image he had seen. He didn't feel the car halt nor did he hear his assistant's inquiry, but decided to respond with a nod even though he did not understand what Renji was saying. He hastily turned his head, his eyes searching for the face of the woman, and his heart raced at what he saw.

The light from the coffee shop illuminated her lightly-colored frock. The healthy glow that emanated from her milky white skin drew him to its seemingly silky texture. She departed the dim light and strolled down to the direction of the parked car. The woman walked gracefully, putting one dainty foot over the other, unaware of the disbelieving gaze of the man behind the car window.

Byakuya never left the petite figure as she walked past the vehicle and leaned on to the metal pole, at least a few feet away from where he sat. He watched her small form, recognizing the same limbs which were entangled with his in the dreams. His eyes trailed up her body, stopping for a moment at the sight of her neck and continued to explore the same face that invaded his sleep.

She was enjoying the cold beverage on her hand, her relaxed posture telling him so. He watched her, admiring the soft, wavy hair that was framing her face as the cool wind blew. The raven locks emphasized the slight blush forming on her porcelain skin, the rouge color he identified as the same one in their figmental trysts.

The woman's gaze from her cup shifted, her round, violet orbs drifting to something across the street. The apples of her cheeks were becoming visible, her lips releasing a muted sound of laughter.

_Adorable._

Long fingers tightly grasped the handle of the car door. It took all of his willpower to sit and stare at the beautiful reality he was faced with. With a flick of a finger, the lock clicked. He was ready to leave his vehicle and approach the woman, when a brown cup obstructed his view.

"A-ano…Boss, can you hear me?"

Byakuya's head snapped up to his assistant.

"Hehe...I guess you do _now_." The tall man laughed nervously.

The young Kuchiki took the cup that blocked his gray orbs from reaching the woman nearby. "What do you mean, Abarai?"

"Well, I knocked at your window for a while now but you didn't open it. So I signaled the chauffeur to open it for you, but you were out of this world."

Byakuya was not listening to his words, his eyes lingering in another direction.

"Boss, you alright? You seem distracted."

No response.

Renji felt a vein popping in his head as brown eyes followed Byakuya's gaze.

"Oh! A girl, boss? That's what got your attention? Well, she _is _cute!"

After he said those words, a gust of freezing wind licked the skin of his nape. The tall man took one step back from the vehicle, feeling the icy glare of the Kuchiki dig into his skin.

"Byakuya-sama, there's no need to be ashamed about it!" The red head moved, step by step into the direction of the woman. "Do you want me to get her number for you? It's no prob—"

In a split second, Renji's back hit the hard surface of the car, knocking him out for a moment. A hand was roughly clutching the fabric of his jacket, when he felt outbalanced as the same hand pushed him away from its grasp.

"Get in." Byakuya hissed from clenched teeth.

_My spine._ _Geez, boss! Why'd you have to do that?_ The redhead rubbed the tender skin of his back, dragging himself hurriedly towards the front seat.

With Renji seated in, the vehicle cautiously moved away from the pavement. The young Kuchiki relished the silence once again but left his coffee untouched, the idea of gulping down the beverage was no longer enticing, for his thoughts were left on the woman who has mesmerized him.

_The object of his dreams was real. _

The mirror on the side of the car reflected her petite figure, slowly becoming smaller and smaller as the car moved farther from the shop. It gave him the same feeling every time his eyes fluttered open at the end of each tryst, but this time, instead of obscurity he felt certainty.

_I __**will**__ find you again._

* * *

><p>Strands of fire fanned out with the wind. The striking color of hair startled everyone that passed the pair. The taller man was oblivious to the shocked looks directed his way as he was too busy revising his boss' planner with the incoming call from his phone. Renji was jotting down several dates profusely in the notebook while following the footsteps of Byakuya in front of him.<p>

"Yes. Yes, sir. Mr. Kuchiki will be there. Yes, and thank you very much."

He was finally able to close the contraption shut before released a fatigued sigh.

_Only 5 days in Tokyo and I already feel like collapsing. Meetings here…Cancellations there… It's exhausting me! Even Ginrei-sama's 'urgent meeting' was moved._

He put his arms behind his head, being unable to relax.

But for now, he was puzzled with Byakuya-sama's daily routine of walking to the coffee shop ever since they arrived in the city. It's not like the shop offered the best cup of coffee, his boss had better ones—that's for sure.

Hazel orbs continued to observe the young man leading him, noticing that Byakuya-sama would stop and check out some petite woman with black hair before moving on, almost as if he was looking for somebody but the girl he found didn't fit the bill.

It was the same thing every day for the past 5 days. Every time his boss had free time, they would drive to the same street, park somewhere a bit far, and then walk all the way to the coffee shop, while Byakuya-sama's attention drifted all over the place.

_I guess he really liked that cute girl after all._

The Kuchiki's footsteps were slowing as they neared the shop, and though it was his superior's fault for not letting him approach her and get her number, he couldn't help but feel pity for his boss. After all, he did watch his repetitive failure to find the girl.

But it always ended up with them buying coffee anyway, as if the rich man's sole purpose was to buy a drink—but he knew better. Whenever they walked back to the car, Byakuya-sama effectively hid his disappointment but Renji would notice a cloud of gloom surrounding his boss.

He couldn't understand the young Kuchiki's sudden interest at the girl. She was cute, yes. But, she isn't the breathtaking type, nor is she even that hot or curvaceous. She was petite, a little plain-looking, and flat. Her beauty didn't match his boss' appearance at all.

Renji sighed inwardly. He may think that the girl wasn't attractive enough, but because of her, he had a big bruise on the area between his shoulder blades. He felt himself wince in pain as he remembered how he even got it in the first place.

_Ring! Ring! Ring! _

_Fuck._

Renji took the phone from his jacket with gritted teeth. He had been answering his phone for the nth time this day, and it was driving him crazy! But he wouldn't dare complain in front of his boss. His job with good benefits and more than generous pay was on the line.

The device glowed in his hand, the name on the screen visible even under the glare of the sun.

_Kyoraku Shunsui._

The tall man blinked twice at the name. Only once did he receive a call from Ginrei-sama's assistants; and it was the time when he was asked to relay the news of Byakuya's early departure from New York. Once he got here in Japan, he was instructed to answer the calls from Nanao Ise and Kyoraku Shunsui right away.

_This is urgent._

Renji cleared his throat to draw the Kuchiki's attention. "E-excuse me, Byakuya-sama, I just have to take this call. It is from one of your grandfather's assistants."

The handsome man stopped and merely gave him a sideways glance before proceeding towards the shop's entrance.

Renji waited for his boss to be out of earshot before he received the call.

* * *

><p>He spent the past few days searching for the same woman, but his attempts have been futile. He could not forward such trivial task to any investigator for he did not even know her name. All he knew can be summed up to physical descriptions which can be attributed to a lot of women—except her eyes.<p>

It was 5 days since he had the privilege of seeing the woman plaguing his dreams. It was 120 hours spent in wonder and curiosity of her identity; 7 hours of every night he had dreamed about her more vividly than the last; an hour or 2 every day dedicated to his search.

The time he spent doing this was not enough, and that he knows. But unfortunately, managing and directing two companies was not an easy task. His ojiisan's health kept the man from working right away, thus, he was kept busy by meetings here and there. The only time he had none was the time he spent getting coffee.

The scent of the beverage filled his nose, and he knew that they were getting close. Every day, he would walk with his assistant to the shop, scanning every woman before he realizes each and every one of them was not _her_. It disappointed him that he could not find her again, and it frustrated him even more because it seemed that even in reality, she was still out of his reach.

The sound of a throat clearing caught his attention. Byakuya looked behind him, his assistant then asking for his permission to take a call. He did not bother with things that he deemed were unimportant, and so continued to enter the vicinity of the shop.

He passed the wooden tables, feeling defeat as he paced closer to the wooden door until he was but at an arm's length of the entrance. The familiar bell rung in his ears, its chimes signaling the end of his search for the day.

He was about to enter the shop when a sudden gust of wind and a stab of pain jabbed his left arm.

With gray orbs narrowed, Byakuya turned his head to face his oppressor, but was met instead with a curt, but sincere apology.

"Sorry."

The soft voice surprised him as his eyes trailed toward its direction. He faced a woman's back, and from what he can see, small, feminine hands were holding on to a large, hard-bound book.

His gaze continued to observe her form, from her wavy, raven locks, down to her exposed calves. It was a recognizable sight in the past few days. A woman, whose figure was similar, catches his attention, but after a second look, his interest instantly diminishes upon realizing that it was another female.

The woman sat down on the nearest table, her head still looking down at the thick object in her grasp, a black shroud covering her visage. Gray eyes lingered, curiosity and anxiety fluctuating as if he was anticipating for her to look his way.

As if to answer his silent plea, the wind blew in her direction, the curtain of hair covering her face unveiled the same hue of eyes he had been searching for days.

_It is her._

He took a step forward, a foot slowly planted on the ground. Byakuya stared, tracing her profile as if it was unreal.

His eyes drifted to the pages of her book, its photos, bringing out the pink tips of her thin fingers as palms brushed the glossy leaves. Gray orbs suddenly widened in surprise as another hand covered the female's. He looked to the owner of the foreign hand and was startled by the sight of blue marbles staring back.

The ginger head's hand slid to the wrist of the woman opposite her, shaking it as if trying to get her attention. Another hand was lifted, a feminine finger stretching out, pointing to him.

His heart skipped a beat when the object of his dreams looked up from her book, and followed the direction of the outstretched appendage.

But before their eyes were able to meet, strong arms shoved him inside the shop.

* * *

><p>"Abarai. Explain."<p>

Byakuya's poisonous tone melted his ears.

"Boss! I saw you found the woman, a-and…um…you can't give her the impression that you're like a stalker by the way you were gawking at her a while ago."

The young Kuchiki did not seem convinced as gray orbs remained partially seen in narrowed slits.

"A-ano, you should give her the idea that you're cool a-and—"

"I believe I do not require advice about certain matters like these." The young man glared, obviously forcing himself to be calm.

The redhead chuckled nervously, suddenly feeling unsure of what he had done. He just wanted to help his boss, but it seemed that Byakuya-sama wanted to be found out by that woman anyway. He scratched his wild mane in embarrassment.

_Oops. My bad._

His boss swatted a large hand off the lean arm, and crossed towards the wooden door.

"Boss, actually, there's also something—"

"What is it?" Byakuya stopped in his tracks.

Renji jumped at his boss' interruption. "Y-your grandfather, boss. He wants to meet with you right away. He says it is very important that you go back to your house as soon as possible…U-um…I'll just grab you a cup of coffee, before we leave." The assistant scurried to the counter, hurrying to depart his superior's dangerous presence.

The young man waited for the sound of his assistant's heels to fade before gray eyes peered out the glass window, scanning the shop front for the woman. Numerous tables and chairs were filled with customers, but the woman and her friend were nowhere to be found.

Byakuya heaved a sigh, his eyes shutting close as he slowly released his breath.

_A failure yet again._

* * *

><p>Two pairs of feet were running around the condominium where several articles of clothing lay scattered on the polished floor of the large unit. The small woman was trying on several ensembles, but she took them off when her best friend gave her a disapproving look.<p>

"Rangiku, do you think Nii-sama will like this?" Rukia held up the straps of the green dress over her shoulders.

The ginger head walked over to her best friend, holding several robes in her arms. "No! Not that one." She pulled the dress off her hands and threw it to the floor.

"How about this one?" Small fingers put the bodice of the strapless yellow dress on her chest.

"No! Not that either!" Rangiku tore the frock from her again.

The petite woman screamed and started jumping in place.

"You know, this should have been your reaction when I pointed to the guy ogling you in the coffee shop!"

"I don't care about that guy in the coffee shop! All I want to do is look good for Nii-sama."

Rangiku snorted. "You say that because you weren't able to see him. He was totally handsome and he looked definitely interested in you! If it weren't for that redheaded troll, you would have seen him looking straight at you!"

"But I didn't. I was skimming through the photo book you bought me, remember? And honestly, I really,_ really _don't care about what happened a while ago. I just want to get this meeting over with."

Rukia bent down, looking through the piles of garbs strewn across the floor.

The busty woman raised an eyebrow. "We could've stayed in the shop, you know, and wait for that hunk to come back. Why does your ojiisan have to make you go 'right away' anyway? Couldn't he give you a heads-up that he wanted to move the meeting with your brother _today_?"

Rukia bent her legs and squatted on the floor, her head resting on her knees. "Rangiku, I don't know why he wants me to meet Nii-sama _now,_ but I don't care about his reasons at the moment. I need to find a nice outfit so that I can present myself well to Nii-sama."

Rangiku threw the garments in her arms on the wooden surface and placed her hands on her waist. "Rukia, the man's not your brother anymore. He never really was anyway. Why do you even have to look good for the guy? Isn't he the one who ignored you for the past 10 years? I mean, what's with that? He didn't even call you to give you a word of comfort or send his condolences when _that_ happened. "

"I know, but I can't just _not_ treat him like he's not my Nii-sama. It's disrespectful! Besides, he's one of the two people left that I consider my family, regardless of what he's done." Rukia screamed, her face now looking up to the standing woman.

The ginger head rolled her eyes. "See what I mean! You _know_ what he did, and yet, you still want to look your best as his little sister even though you're really not! I don't get it, I'm sorry."

"It's okay if you don't understand! I just want to look presentable."

Rangiku shook her head at her best friend's distraught state. "You know what, whatever. I'm going to help you find a dress. The ones you picked out are the ones you usually wear." The tall woman's footsteps resounded in the condo as she walked out of the hallway and into her best friend's room.

Rukia heard the sound of closets being opened and the rustling of fabric from her bedroom. After a few seconds, the tall woman emerged holding a dress bag.

"Here. I saw this when we were unpacking your things."

Her best friend gave her the bag, recognizing it as the gift her parents' gave her a month ago for winning a photography contest in school. Small hands opened the zipper, revealing a gorgeous, ankle-length dress she had never worn.

"You see? The dresses you chose are nothing compared to this one! This is the one, am I right?"

Rukia smiled as she eyed the frock in the mirror.

"Well, come on! Wear it already. We spent half an hour wrecking the whole place for one dress!"

Rangiku pushed her best friend into her room and threw a pair of beige, strappy sandals with her. "This goes with the dress!" She screamed through the door.

In no time, Rukia rushed out of her room, adjusting the straps of her dress.

"So, what do you think? Is it pretty? Do you think Nii-sama will like this?" The petite woman twirled for her best friend.

The floral, peach and white paisley dress drew attention to her smooth, white skin. The v neckline revealed little of her chest, but showed enough to flatter her petite body. The empire cut of the garment accentuated her tiny figure, and the criss-crossed spaghetti straps showed the skin from her neck to her waist in the back.

Rangiku smiled at her good taste. "Yup. _You_ look pretty! And yes, he _will_ like it."

_If he doesn't, I'll kick his ass._

Rukia squealed and ran to the mirror.

Rangiku eyed her best friend frantically running a brush through her hair, and glanced at her watch.

"Hey Rukia, it's time we left. You can do that in the car." She told her, jingling the keys.

"Okay, okay." The petite woman hastily dropped the brush into her bag.

Without further delay, the two women ran to the parking lot.

* * *

><p>Three people sat across from each other in the luxurious living room of the Kuchikis. The old men were deep in conversation, each voice serious as they discussed the complications that arose in the past few days to the young Kuchiki. Every now and then in their discourse, Ginrei and Yamamoto glance at each other as a silent reminder of the plan they have weaved.<p>

"Byakuya, before we move on, I would like to apologize for the sudden request for you to be here. I know you must be busy at work, but I appreciate that you have excused yourself from your office to grant my request."

The handsome man crossed his arms. "Jii-sama, your request has not caused any disruptions. And, I recall that you have called me for another reason other than a discourse of the problems that we have at hand."

"Yes, that is true." Ginrei shifted in his seat, one of his legs overlapping the other. "Today, I want you to meet Rukia."

The young man's brows slightly furrowed in confusion. "Jii-sama, has it not been scheduled 2 days from now? And, is it absolutely necessary that we acquaint ourselves with one another at this moment where difficulties involving my sister have continued to come about?"

The old man stared at his grandson intently. "It is precisely this reason why I want you two to meet. These complications revolve around the woman you call your sister, and yet you have not even met, or communicated in any sort of way. You cannot protect a person you know nothing about, Byakuya. "

Crimson eyes stared at the pair, the old lawyer's lips forming a smile upon gazing at the young Kuchiki's obliviousness to his grandfather's words. He did not intrude their conversation, for his friend was doing a good job following their scheme. _Now, if only Rukia were to get here, then the execution of the 2__nd__ part of their plans will commence… _

"Ah, Renji. My grandson's assistant." Ginrei smiled at the tall man pacing towards their direction.

Renji gave a low bow to his superiors, an uncharacteristic serious expression plastered on his face.

"Ginrei-sama, your granddaughter has arrived."

* * *

><p>Trembling hands shook the key out of the ignition, as the frantic pace of her best friend brushing her raven locks affected her movements. The busty woman took the chain of the key and slipped its ring on one finger.<p>

"Rukia, will you stop that! You're anxiety is making me nervous too!"

The petite woman stopped brushing and began fixing her bag. "S-sorry! I just wanted to make sure my hair stays in place." Rukia hid the brush and adjusted the bodice of her maxi-dress, fingers fumbling with its neckline. She slid a bag strap over her shoulder and opened the door. "Rangiku! Let's go!"

One booted leg slid out of the car. Rangiku took the strap of her tote hastily as she slipped out of her seat. Long fingers were unable to catch the other handle, its fabric slipping through her smooth digits, and the contents of her bag falling on the tiled driveway.

"Shit! You go ahead, Rukia. You're already late. I just need to fix this." She went down on her knees and began picking up her belongings.

"Don't take long, alright? I don't want to be alone there." Rukia told her, before sprinting towards the house.

The busty woman reached for her things that were strewn across the surface. In a hurried fashion, she grabbed all that was in her sight. She stuffed them all in her bag, regardless of how disorderly it looked. She didn't want Rukia to face her asshole of a brother alone.

Content that she has retrieved all her belongings, she was ready to push herself up, one leg positioned to support her, when an object was shot away from her heel and began rolling down the slope of the driveway.

"Stupid lipstick."

Azure eyes stayed at the moving object, descending on the angled ground, even as its path was suddenly blocked.

Her gaze shifted to the obstruction—a vehicle, its black color and model seemingly familiar.

Rangiku's feet moved on its own as she walked towards the automobile. Blue orbs no longer glimpsed the gold tube of rouge stuck beneath the rubber, but at the plate nailed in front of the car.

_I know that plate…_

A chill ran through her spine as she tried to recall a memory.

_5 days ago. New condo. Ramen. Coffee shop. Bonnet. Black car. Cute girl. Rukia._

"Ho-ly Crap."

Orange-blonde hair flew in the wind as she ran towards the front door.

* * *

><p>The usual quiet that permeated in the parlor was replaced by silent anticipation as the woman clothed in a black uniform appeared in the room, holding the door open for a person behind her.<p>

Heads turned to the entrance, waiting for the young lady to present herself.

A small silhouette came into view, her figure darkened as she was facing against the light. Her skirt flowed beneath her, swaying with the movement of her legs and her hips. As she neared their seats, the shadow cast over her slowly moved away, the light revealing the pearly radiant skin against the soft color of her dress.

A loud gasp came from the redhead, as his gaze shifted from the beautiful woman to his boss.

"Boss, it's—"

Renji stopped himself upon witnessing the young man's unreadable expression, and tried to suppress, albeit unsuccessfully, his shock.

Byakuya lifted himself from his chair, his gray orbs dilating at the familiar form approaching them. He recognized the woman—her hair, her body, _her eyes_.

She halted in front of the handsome man, bending down her head in greeting, and lifted it to meet his gaze. The woman raised a delicate finger to her face, grazing the skin of her forehead to push away the stray lock of hair slightly covering her eyes.

_Purple._

Byakuya felt his heart pounding in his chest, his palms beginning to sweat, and his sudden loss of breath; but he felt it all stop as she reached her hand out to him and spoke.

"Nii-sama, I'm Rukia."

* * *

><p>Please review! :)<p>

Hey people! Thank you for reading my fic especially to the ones who left reviews, the ones who listed me as one of their favorite authors or my fic as one of their favorite stories, and the ones who subscribed to me and put me on alert. I love you guys! :)


	6. The First Sunday

Hello guys! I haven't updated for so long. I'm so, so sorry. I was super busy for school. Seriously, this semester was like hell. I had a law class and I cannot even begin how much I hated it. I'm sorry to those who I might be offending (those who like law), but it's just that it's really not for me that's why I dislike it.

But anyways, here you are. I tried my best to make this a good chapter. And I really hope you forgive me for the late update and for the lameness of this chapter (if you think it's lame).

Btw, thanks for the reviews, the visits, and the alerts. I love you guys!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything

* * *

><p>"I believe it is imperative that both of you stay here in the mansion. You need each other. I know that you must think of yourselves hardly as family, but this arrangement will remedy that. Thus, in more or less an hour, your things will be left here, and starting tonight you have the house to yourselves with the staff at your disposal. As for me, I shall stay in a hospital suite for therapy sessions for the next two weeks. I'll see you then. Oh, and Byakuya, I have arranged that your working hours for both the companies be reduced. You will work thrice a week, Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, which is also our busiest. With this, you will be able to spend more time with Rukia. Am I understood?"<p>

* * *

><p>She remembered her grandfather's words. That was about three days ago during the first meeting with Nii-san, which was awkward. Rukia shuddered at the thought. There was something wrong with that day. Her grandfather seemed to be insinuating something, but she couldn't really point it out. Rangiku looked like she wanted to say something but she looked hesitant to talk about it. Renji-san…well…he's weird. And Nii-sama looked awkward but serious, making the "predicament" even more awkward than it already was.<p>

Sure she got to spend time with him, but they never talked these past three days. Maybe a greeting, maybe an inquiry answerable by a yes or no but that was about the only communication they had. Not that she wanted to talk to him, nor did she expect him to be a chatterbox like Rangiku, but still, it was difficult to "reach out" to each other. Though she's still sad, there was this other feeling of pressure and wanting to have a good relationship with Nii-sama, and it kept her preoccupied. _Sigh_.

Rukia got up. She spent each morning contemplating for the first fifteen minutes of her day. It was Sunday, and she felt that this won't be different from the day before. Breakfast, reading, snacks, reading, photo-editing, lunch, planning, snacks, snacks, snacks, dinner. It was boring and quiet, but it was better than initiating a conversation with her "brother". She can't really even consider him that yet.

Purple eyes looked out the window and observed the dark hue of the sky. It was still early and she wanted to take advantage of the almost empty streets. It looked like a good day to go out and take in fresh air. She didn't know why, but she felt athletic this morning. And that rarely happens. She dressed herself in leggings, a hoodie, and running shoes and wrapped an elastic band around her wrist.

_Yes, for a change, jogging it is. _

Rukia ran down the stairs and went to the kitchen, her routine specifically dictating her actions to get that energizing gulp of cold water every morning. Sometimes, only a person or two would be there—one of the cooks, or one of the staff, or most of the time, no one at all.

But her heart dropped when she saw a silhouette not belonging to anyone she knew.

It was still dark, and the only light which made anything visible is from the garden. It was still a silent hour in the Kuchiki mansion and people were just stirring from their sleep. Rukia stood near the entrance, her shoes trying not to make that sound when rubber comes in contact with _any_ surface. The silhouette wasn't moving, and she felt it was going to jump her any time. Her heart was thumping, and she was prepared to run when the figure does anything.

For the next thirty seconds of her life, she imagined all the horror movies flashing vividly in her mind. And she was squirming inside. One particular image of a long-haired girl, eerily crawling from the dark depths of a well was embedded into her consciousness and she couldn't help but let out a squeak of anxiety. She covered her mouth almost right away when she saw the figure turned around abruptly. Her eyes were big as saucers as her heels were on the verge of running.

"Rukia?"

Her head turned towards the familiar voice in the darkness, and the silhouette moved to switch on the light. To her disbelief, it was just her Nii-sama in _athletic gear_. Okay. Now that she wasn't used to seeing. He was in _normal_ clothes. _Normal _clothes which look _amazing_ when worn by him. It was an observation she kept in secret upon meeting him because it seemed (and still is) un-sisterly of her to think that way, even though her best friend disagrees. Furthermore, her Nii-sama's uptight looking hair—though looked that way, still had the desired effect on one's lady parts as Rangiku commented—was not kept arranged by the _kenseikan_, and he looked rather…

"Pretty."

Rukia shut her lips. She didn't mean to say it out loud. She felt his eyes on her and she couldn't help but feel _weird_ about it. She didn't want to admit that it was such a girlish reaction.

"Water?" He offered.

_Good_. He didn't hear it, she thought.

Rukia nodded in agreement and made her way to the dispenser, but Byakuya pointed her to sit down. His lean body approached her, and in hand a glass of clear liquid. He handed it and sat opposite Rukia on the other side of the table. She felt _that_ feeling again as she can sense that while she was drinking, gray eyes were fixed on her. She was having a hard time _not_ noticing it, since he seems to be doing that a lot when they see each other. And the bizarre thing is, she didn't feel creeped out. She felt more like, flustered.

She let down the glass with a soft thump and turned to her Nii-sama to see that he didn't even look away. Rukia cleared her throat to choke out a question.

"Nii-sama, why are you up so early?"

Byakuya maintained his calm façade and curtly replied. "Exercise." His eyes roamed the contours of her face and trailed down her shoulders to her outfit. "You as well?"

"Yes." Rukia unconsciously closed her hand in a tight fist. She was starting to feel a little nervous.

He glanced at his watch and looked outside. "You run alone at this hour?"

"Yes."

Gray was burning into purple. "I presume you do this often?"

"No, only sometimes when I feel like it." Rukia was fidgeting in her seat. Her nii-sama looked thoughtful and she felt that she said something wrong. Her hands were beginning to sweat and her heart was thumping more than it did a while ago when she thought he was a ghost. She chugged down the remaining gulps of water and almost choked when Byakuya told her,

"It is still dark. I will not let you go out alone. I will run with you."

* * *

><p>It was really unfair how anyone could look so good. After ten minutes of running, she was sweating like a pig and her bangs clung to her forehead like they were tentacles. Her nii-sama, on the other hand, didn't seem to break a sweat. His hair was on a low ponytail, and she could see that his nape wasn't glistening with beads of moisture. She could just imagine how fresh his face still looked.<p>

Rukia huffed. She could only "imagine" because she was trailing behind him after the first five minutes of running. Her non-existent athletic ability and her short legs made it difficult for her to keep up. She didn't want to say anything to him because it would definitely hinder his exercise. Sure she was the one who said that she was exercising, but in reality, what she meant by "jogging" and "running" is some variant of brisk-walking and strolling. Obviously, her brother thought she liked to flex her legs and use her leg power, if she had any of that.

Rukia was breathing heavily. She paused for ten seconds, her hand, putting pressure on her upper abdomen which hurt. This was the most physical effort she had exerted since high school Physical Education. She searched for the figure of her brother and she saw that he was quite far from where she was.

She positioned her legs to run, and began to move her legs again. She was fixated on her brother's back which was becoming smaller when her steps lagged. She hastened her pace, her legs strode longer, and her attention focused on closing the distance between her and her nii-sama. Her heart was beating fast, and her legs were aching every time it stretched, but she seriously needed to catch up or her nii-sama will think he lost her or something. Rukia speeded up, her eyes momentarily closed for one final push of energy. She sprinted, her eyes still closed, feeling the cool wind prick her cheeks.

But when she opened them, she was already falling.

She landed on her palms, her skin brushing against the ground. It wasn't painful, but what stung was her knee. She pushed herself into a sitting position, brushing off the dirt on her clothes. She bended the jointed appendage, and a cut on the black cloth of her leggings revealed a discolored patch of skin with a big cut on the middle. She tried blowing on it, but instead of feeling relieved, she felt a shot of throbbing pain. Rukia tried to massage the surrounding skin, and winced because of the awful feeling she got. She guessed she'll just have to call her nii-sama through his phone. _Damn_.

"Rukia."

A large shadow towered over her petite body. Rukia shifted into a different position to turn to the voice and was a bit ashamed that it was her nii-sama that found her in a pitiful state. I guess this is what she gets for wanting something that's impossible. She refused to look at him directly, and started fidgeting again. Rukia knew that he was waiting for her to explain. But she couldn't talk at the moment.

The shadow became smaller and she felt Byakuya was lowering himself to her level. She expected him to ask her where she went, or why did she leave, but she didn't anticipate his strong arms sliding at the back of her legs and her neck.

"Nii-sama!"

He stopped moving. "Did I hurt you?"

"No." She blushed. She felt embarrassed that he was seeing her like this, all sweaty and dirty, and she couldn't even hide anything because she was _in his arms, _facing him. He lifted her off the ground and walked into the direction where they came from. Her eyes looked if anyone was looking.

Maybe ten minutes ago, she would still consider the streets empty. But now, it seemed like people started going out and their eyes were all over them. They were_ gawking_ at them. She was beyond conscious. She was absolutely mortified right now.

"Nii-sama?" Rukia asked, mustering some courage to say something that will not come off as rude.

"Hm?"

"Can you carry on your back instead?" She looked at his face, but his eyes seemed to focus more on the road than at her.

He paused for a moment and let her down, but immediately took her arms and wrapped it around his neck and her legs around his waist. At least, in this position, she felt more at ease that it wouldn't look like anything romantic was going on between them, but somehow, this piggy-back ride made her feel a bit more conscious that her body was pressed against her nii-sama's.

Rukia shook her head back and forth. She really needed to stop thinking this way. This awkwardness should go away too. Nii-sama's her _brother_, for crying out loud.

The walk home was quiet. She didn't want to talk, so, Rukia rested her chin on his shoulder and she _accidentally_ breathed in his scent. Sakura and green tea permeated her nose and it was soothing and relaxing at the same tine. She also observed how right she was—her nii-sama's face was still pretty and fresh, and her neck was nowhere near sweaty or smelly at all. Not that she obsessed about smells, but she felt comforted with her brother's scent. It reminded her of their parents, and maybe it was a reminder that she should be doing something that would close the gap between her and nii-sama.

"Nii-sama?"

Byakuya didn't reply but she knew he heard her.

"You smell good."

There was still silence. But after a few moments, he replied.

"Thank you. You as well, Rukia."

Rukia didn't know how to reply to that.

She didn't know he was smelling _her_ too!

That embarrassing feeling that left her a while ago just came back to haunt her, sabotaging her newly-found confidence to compliment him.

Oh God. She wanted disappear. This day wasn't how she planned it to be. And it was just morning. She still had the whole day with her brother.

_Great_. How she _loved_ that.

* * *

><p>Byakuya never would have taken Renji as a romantic sort of man, but, after the meeting with his grandfather and his "sister", his fire-haired secretary cannot stop his incessant blabbering about star-crossed lovers, Romeo and Juliet, and any of that sort. But what disturbed him the most is that Rukia's best friend knew about the situation. He had relied on Renji to control, or rather, fix it, and fortunately, that Rangiku has not said anything yet.<p>

These past three days, he tried to avoid Rukia as much as possible. He still could not believe that _this _was happening to him and that the woman he was looking for was _her_. But that did not change the fact that how she looked still had an effect on him. Byakuya did not want to admit that this effect went beyond surprise and shock. He had a rather difficult time averting his gaze from her at any given time. But it deeply unsettled him for he was starting to feel disgusted with himself and he thought about how perverse he was becoming.

How could it be that it was Rukia in his dreams? With the exact same face, the same lips, the same voice, the same body? It didn't make any sense.

He didn't want to sleep the past few nights, lest he dream about Rukia again. If absolutely necessary, he would roam the house in total darkness to ease his thoughts. And this morning, he settled in the kitchen, contemplating whether or not take a run to give him a sense of calm.

It was absolutely silent at that hour that he did not fail to notice the sound of a rodent behind him. But to his surprise, it was a petite feminine form that he can see in his limited vision. He knew it was Rukia instantly.

She looked utterly scared seeing him there. It was a reaction he was not used to seeing because the sort of fear that was plastered on her face was one of the horrified kind. Was he giving off an eerie aura? But seeing him there alone in the dark in an ungodly hour would explain everything.

Like from the first meeting, he noticed that Rukia had exaggerated reactions. Not in a sense that was off-putting, but rather, in an adorable, cute, and pretty way. For instance, he noticed that her beautiful eyes would express everything she was feeling. How her eyebrows would furrow, or how she bit her lip. How she was with jii-sama or her best friend, she was always smiling and laughing and it was better seeing and hearing it in person than in his dreams.

She was the perfect embodiment of everything he admired in a woman.

And she was his sister.

No, _adopted_ sister.

Byakuya shrugged but he felt a little better when he thought that. But now, he had to ensure that the woman on his back would have the proper treatment of the wound she incurred during their "run". He felt at fault of what happened to her. He should not have expected her to be on par with his athletic ability. And the result of that assumption rendered disastrous results on Rukia's knee. He would have preferred to carry her in his arms, because at least he would be able to see if she was in pain or not, but he deemed it better to let her ride on his back.

This was the closest they had been to one another since their meeting, and to him, this situation where they were in, this "piggy-back ride", was an intimate act. Her arms were around him, and so were her legs. Her torso pressed closely to his and her chin rested on his shoulder. He found, that he liked being depended upon by her like this. He also seemed to find it interesting that Rukia was trying to initiate a conversation with him with a comment on how he smelled. Byakuya liked how she smelled too, so say it, he did.

After a few minutes of walking, they reached the house, and Byakuya led her straight to the kitchen. His back faced the tall table top and released Rukia's hold on his neck. He rushed straight to the cupboards and took out a small basin and a first aid kit. He filled the container with water and got a cotton ball. He laid them down beside Rukia, and kneeled to look at her injury.

"Nii-sama, no! It's alright. I can do it." Rukia told him, her fingers covering her scraped knee.

"Let me do it. I will clean this first, then I will put some disinfectant. If it hurts, tell me."

That left no room for discussion. Her fingers drew back, and she let him treat it.

It came to his attention that Rukia was a bit uncomfortable with this arrangement, but he will make up for it later. He didn't want her wound to get worse. He cannot let her do this task. He did a thorough investigation about her these past few days and he learned that she is a bit sensitive to pain. Thus, her proposal to treat this was to him, either an impossible or an arduous task.

The pads of his fingers pressed gently on her knee, the ball of cotton he dabbed directly onto the ruddy area of skin. He glanced at Rukia, and he saw that purple eyes were staring at his ministrations. She was biting her lip and her brows were creasing in the middle of her face, and it told him that she was worried. His fingers moved down to a more discolored area and her eyes shot open and immediately turned into slits when she winced.

"I apologize." He told her reassuringly.

Byakuya held the back of her knee with both hands, and his head dipped lower to the battered area of her body and blew. His lips were barely two inches away, and his hands covered a small but sufficient amount of bare skin for him to feel goose bumps harmlessly prickling his hands as his breath fanned the sensitive area. It disconcerted him that everything he does seems to make her uncomfortable.

He loosened his grip, and he was about to release her, when suddenly, Rukia jumped from the high table top.

"N-nii-sama, I realized I needed to go somewhere with Rangiku today and I need to get ready! Thank you so much for accompanying me this morning, and I'm really, really sorry that I cut it short. And I owe you for carrying me on your back. But I really got to go. Have fun today, nii-sama!"

Rukia skidded away, her hair flouncing side to side, and left him wondering what he did wrong.

Byakuya stood, and fixed his clothing. He left the first aid and basin on the counter and took of the elastic from his hair. Indeed, he thought, this morning was the most time they have spent both talking and in silence. He had wanted to make up for ruining it but Rukia had thought otherwise, which was good. But it still bothered him that this was not the proper way to communicate to each other.

There was still tension between them, and he knew it was partially his fault. It was necessary that he finds a way to ease that tension. He must be able to establish a connection with her. Leafing through reports about her will make him realize what to do. Through this, maybe he will be able to do away with the inappropriate feelings he was harboring for her. He acted on those feelings a while ago, but now, it was undoubtedly imperative that they disappear.

For the next two weeks, that was the goal he set for himself. But right now, that aim of his simply was not possible.

* * *

><p>Please review! :) Thank you!<p> 


End file.
